Acuitive adds spot quote portal

   Global air and ocean freight transportation management software and portal provider Acuitive Solutions has launched a new air cargo spot quote tool called Acuitive SpotManager.
   SpotManager is an auction site where freight forwarders must be invited by an Acuitive customer on a shipment-by-shipment basis. When a customer selects carriers they wish to participate in the bidding process, an email alert for the available shipment is broadcast to the invited forwarders and contains the information about the shipment as well as a way to submit their quote online.
   When a routing decision is made, the Acuitive TMS assigns a routing approval number for the shipment and electronically tenders the shipment to the nominated forwarder, including all purchase order details. The information is also sent out via email at the same time.
   According to the company, users have publicly reported savings between 25 percent and 40 percent compared to existing contracted rates.
   “Our customers have been asking for a way to nimbly change course on a given shipment. Sometimes it’s to test the market to see if they can save some money while other times it’s to strategically divert specific shipments to their secondary providers if and when they begin to see signs that their primary providers are struggling to keep up with the volume,” said Phil Marlowe, Acuitive’s president and chief logistician, in a statement.